The Sarojini Damodaran Foundation (SDF) announced awarding scholarships to 164 academically meritorious students in Kerala. Established by Kumari Shibulal and Infosys co-founder, S.D. Shibulal, the Sarojini Damodaran Foundation (SDF) was launched in the year 1999 to extend educational support to economically backward students.

Every
year, SDF holds an intensive selection process that determines the
scholarship awardees. The
top students are selected for the scholarship based on SSLC marks,
financial status, interview performance, screening test marks and
extracurricular achievements. Students are given up to seven-year
scholarships based on merit to encourage them to complete education
post 10th standard till post-graduation.

In
Focus

For
the year 2014, the Foundation received 717 applications. 590 students
qualified for the written test and 263 students qualified for the
personal interview. After personal interviews with each of the
qualifying candidates, Kumari Shibulal personally picked 164 students
for the scholarship. This was done with assistance from the trustees
and volunteers.

For
the current academic year, SDF is funding the education of 617
students. The students selected are from Alappuzha, Ernakulam,
Kollam, Idukki, Kottayam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram,
Wayanad, Kannur & Kasaragod. An
event to award the scholarships to the 164 deserving students has
been organized in Alappuzha on August 2, 2014 and Kannur on August 3,
2014.

"This
year, SDF have taken 64 extra children than the usual quota of 100
children. It met many deserving candidates and felt that all of them
deserve a fair chance," says Shibulal. Every year, candidates from
different walks of life apply for the SDF scholarship. Children of
coir factory workers, daily wage labourers, auto rickshaw drivers and
tailors have gone on to become doctors at Oxford and IIT toppers.

"It
is truly heartening to witness the success a child will achieve when
given timely support. These students have gone on to become
change-makers within their families and communities and inspire us
each and every day," she adds.

"Inspired
by my husband Shibu's parents and mine, the Sarojini Damodaran
Foundation started off as an educational endeavour and gradually
expanded its borders to include women empowerment, arts and culture,
healthcare, nutrition, pension schemes and organic farming. SDF's
goal is to create healthy, well-educated and financially stable
individuals and families," she says.

Since
its inception in 1999, SDF has educated 1056 students out of which
181 have passed out with degrees, 246 students have completed
engineering, 45 medicine, 55 nursing and 47 polytechnic. Remaining
students are continuing their education. SDF has supported 3306
student years till date.